The Boot Room


Issue 10 August 2014


Much of that behind the scenes work over the last decade has focused on improving the quality of youth coaching.


In 2007, Brooking introduced the Youth Award strand to The FA’s coaching pathway underlining the importance of developing youth specialists. The Modular courses focus on developing positive learning environments that put young players’ learning at the heart of the coaching process.


The addition of The FA Youth Awards to the coaching pathway coincided with the inception of The FA Tesco Skills programme, a coaching initiative aimed at developing the skill and technique of children aged between 5-11 in primary schools and grassroots clubs. Initially employing 66 coaches, the programme now boasts over 160 full-time Skills coaches with provision in every region in England. The principles behind the scheme are a cause close to his heart.


“I grew up playing small-sided games against my older brother and his friends. It was a great challenge for me to protect the ball against the older boys, I developed a lot of technique and skill in these games. I would also spend hour after hour at home practising with both feet, playing the ball against the wall receiving it back and then twisting and turning.


“When I joined West Ham, Ron Greenwood [West Ham manager] stressed the importance of scanning the pitch before receiving the ball and letting the ball run across my body to allow me to play forward.”


Although great strides were being made in grassroots coaching, influencing the youth development work in the professional game proved more difficult. Brooking admits that creating opportunities for FA staff to support those in the professional game had at times represented a “maze”.


However, the opening of St George’s Park, The FA’s national football centre in the summer of 2012, and the appointment of Ashworth and Southgate has brought fresh impetus and a new standing in the professional game.


Brooking said: “Over the last three years we have opened St. George’s Park and developed a new structure to support elite youth development. In the 18 months since their appointments Gareth and Dan have worked to recruit a team which is now the best it has ever been to support the elite clubs.


“All the feedback we have had from the professional clubs is really positive about the people that we’ve brought in to support them and the help we’re trying to give.”


Recruits from professional clubs include the highly-rated player development trio of Dan Micciche, Neil Dewsnip and Matt Crocker (previously of MK Dons, Everton and Southampton, respectively) as well as a team of FA Youth Coach Educators responsible for supporting youth development work in professional clubs.


Brooking said increased focus on the elite game was necessary: “The FA Youth Award and The FA Skills Programme were both universally commended, but a lot


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of the focus was on the grassroots side of the game. When we looked at our distribution of support it was clear we needed more support staff and tutors to work in the elite game to ensure there was a clear link between our work at grassroots and the professional game.”


“Through the FA Youth Coach Educator scheme we’ve got a team of staff who are focused on spending time visiting clubs to deliver The FA Youth Awards and to provide individual mentoring support during coaching sessions and on matchday.”


The collaborative Youth Coach Educator programme underlines The FA’s support for the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan which has revamped the professional game’s approach to youth development. The scheme also highlights how The FA and football’s other governing bodies are connected in their approach to youth development.


On any given evening or weekend of the football calendar 16 FA Youth Coach Educator staff can be found at the training complexes of Premier League and Football League academies working alongside club coaches to help develop the next generation of professional talent. It is the closest The FA and the professional game have been in some time.


But for all the positive steps, Brooking believes there is still a lot of ground to be covered to ensure England can lay claim to a conveyor belt capable of regularly producing future world-class home grown talent. Salaries for youth coaches and the short term outlook afforded to youth development are two causes of concern.


“I think the coaches working in the 12-14 age group have a crucial role to play in the future. We’ve seen improvement at the 5-11 age category but this must now extend into the next phase. With many clubs making decisions on which players to offer a contract to as young as 14 we have to ensure the good work done at the younger age group continues.”


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